


Embarrassingly Complimentary

by puddlejumper38



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-06
Updated: 2014-12-06
Packaged: 2018-02-28 08:12:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2725217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puddlejumper38/pseuds/puddlejumper38
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>‘Rodney,’ John drawled, ‘are you asking me out?’</p>
            </blockquote>





	Embarrassingly Complimentary

_Why,_ Rodney had typed in an email to Jeannie. _Would you assume Sheppard has better chances with women than I do?_

It was petty, really, but it had been bugging Rodney. And Rodney didn’t like leaving things bugging him, he liked to solve such problems. So, he had send a long list of his many positives (leaving out some, obviously, because this was _Jeannie_ he was talking to) and had told her that any woman would be lucky to have him. Seriously, he was a genius, they should be lining up.

Not that he expected Jeannie to agree, as his sister it was practically her job to disagree, but maybe she would have the good grace to concede he had a point.

Naturally, email correspondence between galaxies was painfully slow, so it was nearly a month before Rodney opened up his inbox to find an email back.

 

_Mer, are you serious?_

_Half of those ‘good’ things you’ve sent me… aren’t. And you can’t cook, really, you can’t. Also, I said that ages ago, Mer, actually years ago, and you didn’t even think to include that you’ve been in another relationship since then?_

_One more thing, before I start writing about my kids and you stop reading._

_John Sheppard; Hot (nice eyes, great hair, fit, tall, I could go on), friendly, loyal and smart._

 

Rodney closed the email. ‘Huh.’

He wasn’t sure what surprised him most; that he forgotten about Jennifer, he’d only broken up with her a month ago, or that her brief list about John was… accurate. Although Rodney would swear on anything that John used hair gel.

John was hot, anyone with eyes had to have noticed that and Rodney had to admit his choice of shirts suited him, even if the man could be more creative with colour. He _was_ also friendly, until you tried to bring up something personal of course, then he could go from friendly to being desperately late for something very important. Rodney grinned to himself, John’s wide-eyed get-me-out-here look was hilarious and a little bit attractive, he had to admit.

Rodney thoughtfully pressed ‘reply’ to Jeannie.

 

_I can cook. Plus, don’t forget. You = married._

 

He pressed send. That should be enough to put Jeannie back in her box, honestly, he understood that being married to an English teacher would get boring, but that didn’t mean she had to go ogling every other mildly attractive guy she came across.

Some part of him was regretting sending the email in the first place. What if Jeannie decided to get divorced, would she then come to Atlantis? If she applied, it wasn’t as if anyone would turn her down. _That_ would be a nightmare on all kinds of different levels, hopefully she wouldn’t be allowed to bring her daughter, but she would still be working in the same in the same place as him and God, dating _John…_

Rodney snapped his laptop shut. This problem was too big for him alone, and there was one person who would surely help him.

He found Teyla meditating, but she was only too happy to listen when Rodney told her he had a serious problem. She nodded occasionally, adopting a polite but closed expression that was a bit unnerving and then raised an eyebrow at him.

‘Do you not think you are overreacting?’

Rodney stared at her. ‘No, of course not. It’s a legitimate concern! He’s flirted with her before and she’s definitely called him attractive before, this could spiral out of control like _that_.’ Rodney snapped his fingers to demonstrate his point.

‘I see. Perhaps…’ Teyla’s watched him carefully, as if debating what to say next. ‘Perhaps, your concern is that your sister will become between you and John.’

‘Exactly!’ said Rodney. ‘Can you imagine how much time he’d be spending with her? But also I’d have to _work_ with her, on a day to day basis. Can you imagine that?’

Teyla’s lips twitched and Rodney frowned.

‘Wait, you meant that purely in a friend sense?’ Rodney flapped a hand at her, dismissing the idea. ‘Nevermind, of course you did. So what do you think I should do about it?’

‘I think it might be best if you wait for the moment, nothing has happened yet, unless.’ Teyla looked at him sideways. ‘Unless you want to talk to John about it?’

Rodney pointed at her. If he was lucky that might just work; he could tell John what a disaster it would be, after all, his sister had had the bad sense to choose an _English teacher_ and _settle down with kids_. Yes. That would put John off. ‘Excellent idea, now why didn’t I think of that?’

‘We have different skills, Rodney,’ said Teyla, smoothly. ‘That is why we are a team.’

__________________________

 

John was in his quarters, reading War and Peace.

‘Haven’t you finished that yet?’ Rodney demanded, before realising that the question was totally off topic and patently obvious. ‘Don’t bother answering that. It has come to my attention that you are a very attractive person.’ John’s eyebrows shot up, but Rodney ploughed on regardless. ‘Well you are. You’re eyes actually seem to change colour, and while on average I would have to consider them hazel, they have definitely looked green before and then there’s the hair. Obviously you use a tone of product, but I’ll concede that it gives you a certain charm, I’ve also heard your face described as angular and that does seem to be accurate. And then you have the whole intelligent pilot thing going on.’

‘Rodney,’ John drawled, ‘are you asking me out?’

As his train of thought ground to a sudden halt Rodney backtracked over everything he’d said and okay, maybe it did sounds that way, and, yes, it was all true, but it didn’t mean anything. Nothing at all. Except… maybe a bit. Oh God. He was so screwed.

Rodney felt his face flush. ‘No! I was just… I thought I should introduce my argument by… I had a point!’

This would work. He’d just deny everything, true John Sheppard style.

‘Riiiight,’ said John, the look on his face somewhere between curious and amused. ‘And the point was…?’

‘Don’t date my sister,’ said Rodney, in a rush. That was good. That was better, it was even why he’d come there in the first place so it made perfect camouflage.

‘ _What?’_ John stared at him. ‘Are you… are you telling me you came here, to tell me not to date your married sister who lives in another galaxy?’

When it was put like that Rodney could understand his confusion, but thankfully he seemed to be distracted from Rodney’s somewhat accidental coming out. ‘Um… yes?’

‘And you decided to pitch it to me by telling me you find me attractive?’ John was studying Rodney through narrowed eyes.

‘No!’ Maybe he wasn’t distracted after all. ‘I didn’t say _I_ found you attractive, I said you _were_ attractive, and, yes, there is a difference. A big difference. A very important difference. Personally, _I_ wouldn’t call you attractive at all, oh no, you’re all... weird and _military_ and I wouldn’t call you ugly but certainly not attractive _._ ’

‘Weird?’

‘Yes,’ said Rodney triumphantly. ‘Weird. Definitely.’

John was still watching him carefully. ‘Have you been activating Ancient stuff again, because I don’t think it’s me being weird here, buddy.’

That was when Rodney realised he’d forgotten to add ‘male’ to his argument with John. Did that mean he’d still accidentally come out? Or had John not noticed? It was too late to go back now, Rodney thought he’d just have to push forward and work his way out of the conversation. ‘No, no I’m fine. So, if you’re definitely not interested in Jeannie, I’ll just be going. I’m a very busy man.’

‘I’m not interested in Jeannie,’ said John.

‘Excellent,’ said Rodney. But then… Had John just insulted his sister? ‘Wait, why not? What’s wrong with her.’

Now John was definitely giving him a weird look. ‘Well to paraphrase _you_ ; she’d married, and she’s your sister. You wouldn’t want her dating _me_ anyway, I’m just a shade off ugly.’

‘I didn’t say that!’ Oh crap. Now John was insulted, Rodney desperately needed to fix this. It wasn’t his fault he’d had a revelation in front of the person the revelation was about, it was Teyla’s fault for sending him there. Teyla. She had said… ‘Oh my god, she knew. She _set me up_.’

Rodney turned to leave but John was up and by his side, one hand on his shoulder. ‘Hey? Who knew what?’

‘ _Teyla_ , knew. She knows _everything_ , she knew before I did, she’s probably been lying in wait for the perfect opportunity to set us up!’

‘ _What_ did she know?’ asked John, exasperated.

‘She knew that I have a crush on you!’ Rodney yelled and then froze. That was it. He was toast, no, he was the burnt dead crumbs stuck at the bottom of the toaster forever. He had just come out and admitted to having a crush on his totally straight best friend who just happened to be a _lieutenant colonel_ in the _American airforce_ and it worse than that, because he’d done it in front of said best friend _._

Rodney risked a look at John. He’d also stopped dead, staring at Rodney, one hand still on his shoulder.

Then John took a breath Rodney cringed away as he said, ‘Really?’

‘What?’ Rodney glared at him. ‘No, I made it up because I enjoy randomly embarrassing myself. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to leave. Please think about it before you kick me off the team, I’m an extremely valuable member, totally necessary.’

‘Rodney.’ The tone in John’s voice cut short Rodney’s second attempt at escaping. ‘Y’know, I might have left out something when I said why I wasn’t interested in Jeannie.’

‘Oh yeah?’ said Rodney, folding his arms. ‘I swear if you’re about to say you are interesting in Jeannie after all, I will…’ There didn’t seem to be a suitable threat to finish that with, so Rodney shut up.

‘I’m not interested in Jeannie, because,’ John said slowly, ‘I’m not exactly… straight.’

Rodney did a double take. He’d heard that wrong, he must have. ‘But you were _married_.’

John looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Yeah and it didn’t exactly work out, did it?’

‘You can’t be gay!’ Rodney told him. ‘I would know by now!’

‘In case you hadn’t noticed, there was this thing called ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’,’ John reminded him.

‘But that’s been gone for months!’ said Rodney, trying to process exactly what was happening. He pointed accusingly at John. ‘You never said anything. I’ve known you for _five and a half years_.’

‘Well,’ said John, slyly. ‘You never asked.’

‘Fine. Fine. Why would you say anything to your _best friend_. Why am I even surprised, after all, I didn’t even know you had been married until _Ronon_ told me. _Ronon_. And apparently you also have a brother.’ Rodney scowled. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go kill Teyla.’

‘Rodney,’ said John, sounding mildly irritated. ‘Will you go out with me or not?’

At some point, Rodney reflected, the conversation had gotten well and truly out of control. John was standing there expectantly, like he actually wanted an answer. Well Rodney knew better.

‘Ha ha, very funny,’ said Rodney. ‘I’ll have you know-’

John kissed him. Damn was John a good kisser, Rodney pulled him closer, wrapping his arms around John’s waist and John broke the kiss.

‘What? Come back here!’ Rodney demanded.

John was grinning like an idiot, and Rodney thought there was no call for it. Really, it was all very serious. Even if it was cute. And he was never telling John he’d thought of him as cute. Never.

‘You didn’t answer my question.’

‘Are you kidding me?’ asked Rodney. ‘I’m hardly going to turn down the hottest man on Atlantis, am I?’

‘Oh, so I’m not so weird and ugly anymore I am?’ said John, his eyes twinkling.

‘Shut up,’ said Rodney, his face flushing again. ‘I’ve spend most of this conversation being embarrassingly complimentary and _that’s_ what you bring up?’

‘You’re right,’ said John, seriously. ‘I should be talking about how you think I’m the hottest man on Atlantis, with nice eyes and great hair and an angular face. Also, I’m charming and intelligent and _you_ were jealous of your sister.’

‘I was not!’ said Rodney defensively. There were some things that he just couldn’t admit. ‘And maybe _intelligent_ was taking it a bit far.’

‘Aw,’ said John. ‘Don’t ruin it, not just when I’m about to take you on our first date.’

‘You are?’ asked Rodney, hopefully. ‘Will there be more kissing?’

‘You’ll have to buy me a drink first,’ said John, and winked.

 


End file.
